Original story, July 10: One of the rites of California’s late spring/early summer is the opening of the Tioga Road, the route across Yosemite’s high country and one treasured for its access to some of the national park’s best hiking and camping and its most memorable views.
This year, it’s a rite long delayed.
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The last time the Tioga Road remained closed this late in the season was 1922, when the highway opened July 10. The only later openings occurred in 1917, on July 19, and in 1916 and 1921 — on July 15 both years.
This year’s long closure is the direct result of this winter’s historic snowfall, which not only buried the road in snow and ice but caused serious damage to parts of the 46-mile route and adjacent facilities.
- Jump to: How to travel to Yosemite avoiding the Tioga Pass
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“Everyone’s been talking about what a crazy, epic winter we’ve had and just the monumental task of getting that road open,” said Steve Lyon, a Yosemite National Park ranger, earlier this week.
That work has involved months of plowing with tracked vehicles, bulldozers, rotary plows and other heavy equipment. As it does every year, it has also involved trying to clear the more than two dozen segments of the road that are prone to avalanches.
The best known and perhaps most dangerous of those avalanche zones is adjacent to Olmsted Point, a site famed for its spectacular views.
Lyon said crews have cleared that section of road but that avalanche damage to one lane there will require traffic control regulated by temporary stoplights when the road opens.
Lyon said part of the delay in lifting travel restrictions in the area is the need to assess and repair roadside restrooms, staff housing and other facilities damaged during the winter.
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“There’s a fair number of buildings up there,” Lyon said. “Almost all of them have taken some damage, and some of them are just completely destroyed.”
Because of all the assessment and repair work, the park says it still cannot say when the road will open.
Repair work is also continuing to the east of Tioga Pass along the road’s state-owned continuation, Highway 120. Caltrans crews finished clearing snow from that steep, winding section weeks ago and have been busy ever since removing boulders deposited on the roadway during the winter and restoring roadside berms that help contain rockfalls.
Christopher Andriessen, spokesperson for Caltrans District 9, said in an email Friday that rock clearing continues in an area called Blue Slide, about midway along Highway 120 between the pass and the town of Lee Vining. Once that last piece of rock work is done, Andriessen said, crews will begin repairing and replacing guardrails damaged or destroyed over the winter. He said that job will take about five business days.
Although in the past Caltrans has worked with park officials to coordinate the opening of the road, so that the state and Yosemite sections all become accessible the same day, Andriessen said that won’t necessarily be the case this year.
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: WHEN
